1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for constructing a product. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for constructing a product comprising multiple components fashioned from flexible polypropylene patterns which when assembled with a plurality of integrally-molded, single-component snap fasteners form a three-dimension, self-supporting, flexible exoskeleton structure, the components returning to an original flat profile when the product is disassembled.
2. Background Art
Products have been fabricated, constructed and assembled by many different methods in the past using varied construction materials and fastening techniques. The construction materials and fastening methods were typically selected based upon the intended use of the products. For example, products intended to be used to support the weight of adults or products that were intended to carry a heavier mechanical load would be fashioned from stronger and more robust materials than those products intended for use by children.
Further, some products are constructed with the intention of being permanently assembled while other products are constructed with removable fasteners so that they can be assembled and disassembled at will. An example of this construction method includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,759 to Vitsky et al. in 1990. Vitsky et al. disclose a product identified as knockdown furniture which is described as household furniture that is easily assembled and disassembled. The described furniture is specifically directed to furniture which is scaled in size and in assembly complexity for use by children. An embodiment presented by Vitsky et al. disclose a furniture package that is provided with full child-size parts and with a smaller sized set of paper or cardboard parts matching the child-sized parts. This embodiment enables the child to visualize the completed furniture pieces as well as the assembly process.
The drawing illustrations and disclosure presented by Vitsky et al. show side members that are preferably generally planar or include one or more planar surfaces which are preferably generally vertical surfaces. The surfaces of Vitsky et al. are disposed horizontally, vertically or at angles and are not, in general, curved. The side frame members have preformed apertures therein disposed to accept tabbed extensions of central members which may be placed between one or more side members. Vitsky et al. further represents overlying mating apertures for receiving large fasteners that are easily manipulated by young children. The components of the knockdown furniture are not fabricated into specific patterns which are held under stress by the fastener connectors for enabling the formation of components having curved surfaces.
In an example directed to the assembly of a chair, Vitsky et al. discloses first forming the central element to the general shape of a chair seat and back portions and inserting tabs into slots of a first side piece and then repeating the tab insertion procedure for the second side piece. Assembly is completed by folding a central element tabs over at the site of the mating side piece fastener holes, then inserting an expandable fastener through both tab fastener holes and side piece fastener holes. This procedure is repeated until all the fastener hole pairs are secured by fasteners. Vitsky et al. shows an example expandable fastener for use with the knockdown furniture which comprises generally a first part in the shape of a head or flange having extended therefrom a radially expandable central protrusion split into at least two sections to form a resilient end portion. The resilient end portion can be tapered to facilitate placement of the fastener into the openings of the end pieces.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,930 issued to Bay in 1978 discloses a snap-on shield for a helmet. The snap-on shield comprises a flat transparent surface which can be shaped to fit onto the helmet, or a molded pre-curved surface, to protect the face of a wearer. The shield is injection-molded of a polymer material having a molded female center snap portion for engaging a male snap portion on the helmet and a pair of groups of female polymer snaps are molded for one snap portion to engage each male ear stud snap on the helmet. Each group of female snap portions is positioned so that one snap portion fits the ear stud male snap portion of at least one helmet. The shield may also have additional male snap portions molded therein for engaging female snaps on a visor. The face shield with snap fastener portions is molded in one piece to fit a large variety of helmets having variations in the positioning of the helmet snap fastener portions thereon.
In the '930 patent to Bay, a face shield is adapted to be attached to a helmet, and a visor is adapted to be attached to the front of the shield. The shield and the visor can be comprised of a polymer material and the snap fasteners can be fabricated from a plastic material. Although the face shield and visor components are attached to the helmet, the polymer material forming the components does not exhibit spring-like properties which causes a components initial flat profile when disassembled to adopt a three-dimensional exoskeleton structure when assembled. The present design of the snap fasteners utilized by the Bay '930 patent are fashioned from multiple structural elements and thus are not single component snap fasteners. Consequently, the method for constructing the helmet shield apparatus of Bay '930 requires more components requiring more construction steps and is less economical.
It is further noted that mechanical snap fasteners of the prior art are typically manufactured to include four basic components. Those components include a male component and a separate female component. Additionally, the male component of the snap fastener includes a rear fitting cap positioned on the opposite side of the fabric of a garment in relation to the male component. Likewise, the female component of the snap fastener also includes a rear fitting cap positioned on the opposite side of the fabric of the garment in relation to the female component. Also, the male component is independent of the female component. This prior art construction does not emulate a single component snap fastener exhibiting an integrally molded form and having a male section and a female section each of which are compatible with all other identical snap fasteners.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method for constructing a product which comprises multiple structural components fashioned from flexible polypropylene patterns having spring-like properties, the components initially exhibiting a flat profile being assembled with a plurality of integrally molded, single-component snap fasteners to fabricate a three-dimensional, self-supporting, flexibly-curved exoskeleton structure, the components returning to the original flat profile when the product is disassembled by disengaging the single-component snap fasteners.